Sweet Heat (1998)

Sixty thousand men and women of Asian ancestry served in the United States armed forces during the Vietnam War. Many fought in the Vietnam as gunners, helicopter pilots and infantrymen. Some worked as nurses, journalist and other support staff. Fort Lewis, WA was often the military base that Asian American soldiers first encountered. As a basic training facility, many experienced their first overt act of military racism when drill sergeants would point these men out and say to the rest, "men, this is what the gook, the enemy looks like." Cole Lew of San Francisco's Chinatown and Don Lau, born in New York encountered the "gook" calling and much more while in Vietnam.

Sweet Heat is their story as they survived the insanity of war, cried when their buddies died, underwent "friendly fire" because they looked like the enemy, encountered MPs asking them to name the winner of the 1933 World Series and returned to the United States without ceremony or thanks.

Sweet Heat is the second a four part series on Asian Americans in Vietnam. American Nurse was completed in 199. The others are Back to America and California Home.

Original Vietnam war footage with songover by Patricia Faith.

Original compsitions- Sweet Heat, Knight in Shining Armor by Patricia Faith.

Distributors: Video Out (Vancouver)

Duration: 28:40

Asian American Film